Peccadillo at the Palace by Kari Bovée

Author:Kari Bovée
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SparkPress
Published: 2019-06-10T16:00:00+00:00

Later that evening, after Annie and Frank had shared a piece of apple pie—the only thing Frank felt like eating, much to Annie’s concern— Bobby appeared at their tent with a note from Mr. Salisbury stating, “The former Prime Minister of England, Mr. William Gladstone will be visiting the encampment at 2:00 in the afternoon. Please be in costume and ready to receive him at that time.”

“Oh, dear,” Annie said aloud, crushing the note in her palm. She looked over to tell Frank the news, but he’d climbed onto the bed, still clothed, and was already asleep. She hoped he’d be up to meeting Mr. Gladstone tomorrow. With Frank by her side, Annie always felt less awkward when meeting important people, like when she’d met the Governor of Ohio or the Mayor of Greenville. While others fawned over people of “authority,” Frank always treated them like they were old friends. His buoyant personality and natural charm smoothed the way for her to do the same.

She felt they’d hardly had time to catch her breath since disembarking from the ship and setting up camp. Already, they had to make appearances and greet people. Annie set the note on the nightstand, dressed for bed, and after blowing out the lantern, molded her body to his, reciting prayers in her head that he would be back to himself soon. She missed the old Frank.

In the morning, Annie woke to find Frank tossing and turning in his sleep. She nudged his shoulder.

“Frank, wake up. I think you are having a nightmare.”

He rolled over to face her and opened his eyes. “Yes, I was,” he said, his voice thick and groggy. “I was in the water with Buck again. The ship was sailing away with you on it.”

Annie laid her hand on his cheek. “I’m right here, Frank. Always.”

He smiled and closed his eyes again.

“Mr. Gladstone is coming today to visit the exhibition. Will you be up to meeting him?”

Frank opened his eyes wide. “Yes, of course. I’ll be fine.”

“You look like you didn’t sleep at all,” Annie said, concerned by the pallor of his skin. He still did not look well.

“I’ll be fine. I just need a little sleep. Wake me in a couple of hours.”

After she’d dressed, Annie went to Hulda’s tent in search of one of her new costumes, relieved that the colonel had insisted they wear them to meet Mr. Gladstone. She always felt more comfortable in costume as opposed to the fancy dresses Hulda liked her to wear.

Hulda had not yet completed the new costumes, so Annie had to make do with one of the older costumes that Kimimela had made for her. Putting it on made Annie’s heart ache for her dear friend who had died at such an early age. She wondered how Kimi’s little daughter, Winona, was faring with her new family. The child must be four years old by now.

The former prime minister and his wife entered the grounds of Earl’s Court in a shiny black coach pulled by four chestnut geldings with gleaming white blazes and four white socks each.

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